Out of the Darkness
by MinkeOR
Summary: Jim is weeks away from ending his first two years as a spacer. With the anticipation of a well deserved leave of absence, Jim is thrown violently into the life of someone who seemingly comes out of nowhere.
1. Chapter 1

The night was quiet. The ship moved easily through space, trailing quietly in the tail of comets and soaring past planets. Jim reclined against the main mast, allowing himself the pleasure of enjoying the night. The ship was on its way to Crescentia, and Jim knew that a shore leave was awaiting him upon their arrival. He had been away from home for nearly three years, finishing his last year at the academy and then being assigned immediately to a ship where he would spend the two ship board years that were required of new graduates. He'd traveled far and seen some amazing things, but now he was ready to go home. In a few weeks he would be able to see his mother again. To sleep in his own bed. To ride his solar surfer (Jim smiled, knowing that the old machine would need some work and adjustments since he'd grown since the last time it had been used). Needless to say, Jim was excited. He'd been on night watch for the last few days, and he was now getting used to the late hours and the strain it put on his body. Despite the challenges that came along with his watch, Jim relished the time he was able to spend just being on the ship in the quiet of night, watching the scenery go by as they sailed home.

Jim yawned deep and checked his watch. Only a few more hours to go before dawn, and then he would be able to retire to his hammock below decks for some rest. His eyes scanned the area they were sailing into and there was something that caught his attention. A small dark shape at first, just off the right side of the bow. As they sailed closer Jim thought it looked like a longboat. It looked an _awful_ lot like a longboat. He launched himself down from his post and ran to the other end of the ship where the helmsman stood passively at the wheel. "There's something out there," Jim said, the helmsman coming out of his stupor at Jim's approach.

"What is it?"

"I can't tell exactly, but it looks like a longboat. Just there off the starboard bow." He pointed out at the object as they came slowly along side it. Jim jumped back down to the deck where he was able to grab hold of the side of the longboat and pull it against the ship. The helmsman shut off the engines and was by Jim's side in an instant to help him tie the boat to the ship. It didn't appear that there was anything in the boat, but Jim decided to take a closer look anyway. Better to be safe than sorry. He stepped in at the stern end and headed towards the bow after checking all of the corners. He checked every inch of the boat as he moved, making sure there was nothing he was missing in the shadows. As he moved up he felt himself begin to tense up, like something was waiting for him at the front of the boat.

When he got up to the front he saw there was a bundle of what looked like blankets. Jim was leaning in closer to them and about to pull them away when the blankets were thrown away and before Jim knew what was happening he had been shoved back against the floor of the boat and he felt a vice grip around his neck. Jim struggled against the weight against him until he felt that weight rising and the grip was released. He saw the helmsman struggling against Jim's attacker, the huge man finally forced the flailing person to the deck of the ship, pinning their arms behind their back in an attempt to quiet them. Jim climbed out of the boat and steadied himself against the railing.

"What the hell is this about?" the helmsman said, concentrating on keeping the struggling person pinned on the deck.

"Exactly what I was thinking," Jim replied. For the moment the stranger had quieted, lying still beneath the helmsman's strong grip.

"You'd best be getting Mr. Connor," the helmsman said, referring to the first mate. Jim fetched the man, a bit disheveled at being awoken in the middle of the night, but was also anxious at the news Jim brought to him.

"Do you have any idea who they are?" Mr. Connor asked.

"No, sir," Jim replied. "There were no markings on the longboat, no colors being flown." The two approached where the helmsman was standing once again, the captive quiet in his grip, at least for the time being. Jim held back while Mr. Connor moved closer, taking his time to look the stranger over from top to bottom. He reached out and tipped their head, getting a better look in the dim light. Jim was taken aback. It was a girl. Although her face was covered in dirt and grime and her long hair was matted, her eyes burned with fury as she stared down Mr. Connor.

"Who are you," the first mate said, more of a demand of her than a question. The girl said nothing, she didn't need to. Defiance was written all over her body and especially in her eyes, which she kept locked on Mr. Connor's.

"Who are you," he said again, moving closer to the girl, trying to intimidate her. But she wouldn't budge. They stared each other down, neither one willing to budge. "Put her in the brig," Connor finally said. "Let her sit for awhile. We'll alert the captain in the morning and he'll decide what is to become of her." The helmsman dragged the girl, whose eyes were still raging.

Jim watched her go below and turned back to Mr. Connor who was observing the same thing. "Cut her boat loose, Mr. Hawkins."

"Sir? But she'll need it-"

"No. She won't be needing it anymore. She's not going anywhere. Now, cut it loose, and then return to your post."

"Yes, sir." As Connor went back to his cabin, Jim untied the longboat from the ship and pushed it away. He watched it drift further and further, thinking that he was somehow doing the wrong thing. There was something about this girl, alone in the middle of nowhere, that didn't sit right with him. This girl with the wild eyes, whoever she was, had caught Jim's attention, and he wanted to know what was hidden behind those eyes.

The next day he found the ship abuzz with rumors of the girl. While no one had seen her yet, they had concocted several different versions of Jim's encounter, all of which were completely false. Jim kept his mouth shut, which encouraged the other men even more. He didn't want to have to answer a thousand questions, to have to explain a thousand different times what had gone on. So he was going to let them speculate, to wonder what had gone on.

While that was a driving force behind his silence that day, he also wanted to see the girl again, to cement in his mind what had happened the night before. After his watch had finished and he'd retired to his hammock, he'd lain awake thinking about her, the way she looked, her dirty face and hair. But most of all it was her eyes that stayed. The way they had burned with total anger and hatred. Jim had never seen anything like them before. Never had he seen emotion like that. He wanted to see them again.

He set off after his breakfast for the lowest deck in the ship where the brig was. It was dark below, and a chill crept up his spine as he descended into the hallway that was lit only by the light that managed to find a way through the cracks in the ceiling. Despite the ship's ability to provide heat, this particular corridor remained cold. There were cells along one side of the narrow passage, each one empty, and Jim moved along them, knowing that she was most likely being held in the farthest one. He was right. At the last cell he stopped and looked inside. She was there. Chained in one corner, her back pressed against the wall and her knees drawn up tight against her chest. She looked like she was going to strike out at any minute.

Jim leaned against the wall and eased himself down to sit on the floor, to be on her level. "Who are you?" he whispered. She didn't move, just stared at him, her eyes still hard. Suddenly Jim felt stupid. What made him think that she would talk to him. "Sorry," he said. "I can't imagine why you'd want to talk to me. After all you tried to kill me last night." He smiled now, finding it funny that here he was with the person who had attacked him. This whole situation was completely ludicrous.

"You know how insane this is, right?" Jim said through his smile. "You appear out of space, out of no where, and then you attack me. And who knows where you came from. Who knows where you're going. Geez, who even knows _who_ you are." Jim was positively losing it now.

"It's not funny." The voice was so quiet he almost didn't hear it. Almost. Jim snapped back to reality when he heard her speak.

"What?" he said in disbelief, even though he'd heard perfectly what she had said.

"I said it's not funny," she repeated. She was staring deep into him, her eyes once again burning with that fire he'd seen the night before.

"I'm sorry," Jim said immediately, not wanting to upset her anymore, but wanting her to keep speaking. "I didn't mean anything by it." She'd gone silent again, but she still held eye contact with him.

"You know," he said, "I didn't mean for this to happen to you. I'm really sorry." He looked around himself at the cell she was in, the cold corridor and the darkness that encroached from all corners. "It's freezing down here." He muttered, more to himself more than anyone.

"I know," came her reply. It made him smile.

On the stairs there came the heavy sound of boots resounding off the wooden walls. Jim rose quickly from his place on the floor and found himself staring at Captain Rollands and Mr. Connor. The captain moved down the hall with a feeling of extreme importance and stopped abruptly in front of the girl's cell. He looked down at her, considering her for what felt to Jim like an eternity. The girl looked at him, but pulled herself as deep into the corner as she could. She was trying to hide. Jim caught Connor's eye and noticed a hard look in the first mate. It put Jim on edge.

The captain turned back to Connor, ignoring Jim completely. "Unlock the door, Mr. Connor. I want to see her." Connor fumbled with the keys but managed to open the door. It swung open and the captain stepped inside. Jim watched as the girl attempted to shrink further into the wall, trying to become part of it. The Captain stood right in front of her, she stared up at him, her eyes never wavering.

"Stand up," he ordered, but she didn't move. "Stand, up." He said again, separating each word with emphasis as if this would make her understand. Jim watched, growing even more uneasy as the minutes passed. The Captain finally reached down and grabbed the girl by the shoulders, pulling her easily off the floor. He pushed her up against the wall and held her there, gripping her arms against her sides. Jim saw the fear in her eyes, the terror, as she stared at the Captain. It took all of his self control not to intervene.

"The first law of this ship," the Captain said, his voice low, "is that when I give an order, it's obeyed. Do you understand?" The girl nodded, her whole body visibly trembling. "That's better." He kept holding her, looking her over from head to toe. The silence stretched on while he held her up before finally releasing her. She remained standing, staring at the Captain as he backed away. The man continued his appraisal of her, his eyes moving up and down her frame repeatedly.

Eventually he turned back to Connor, who was studying the exchange with immense interest. Exiting the cell the Captain caught Jim's eye only briefly, but enough to convey that this had been an incident that should not be recalled over the evening meal with the other spacers. Jim understood. Connor locked the cell once again and the Captain moved down the hallway. Jim followed, close enough to hear what they were saying but far enough to be out of the way.

"Clean her up," the Captain said. "Keep her in the brig for now. She'll return to port with us, and then we'll turn her over to the police."

"What will happen to her?" Connor asked.

"They'll have to decide that. But if she doesn't start talking soon then we have no choice but to assume the worst of her."

Jim stopped at the base of the stairs and watched the two other men ascend to the above decks. He looked back down the corridor and a rush of guilt spread through him. He wasn't sure why but he was sure that this was his fault. The look of terror that had filled the girl's eyes and her trembling body was even more disconcerting than the anger he had seen the night before.

He returned to the end of the corridor and sat once again in front of her cell. His heart broke to look at her now. She had pulled her knees up tight to her chest again and her whole body was trembling. Her cheeks were shiny with tears and Jim wanted nothing more than to comfort her. She didn't look at him, just kept staring ahead and shaking. Her tears were silent, although Jim thought it would be less hard if she had just collapsed on the floor in great sobs. Break the stoic silence that surrounded her.

At the sound of boots on the stairs Jim straightened and tensed, noticing that the girl did much the same. He looked up to see Connor descending along with the ship's doctor, an elderly man with a kind face. The doctor shuffled along the corridor, carrying a bundle of clothes in his wrinkled arms. He gave Jim an easy smile and Jim felt himself relax a bit. Connor unlocked the cell and the doctor went in, smiling the same at the girl. He knelt down to her and spoke quietly to her. Jim couldn't make out what he was saying, but saw the girl nodding slightly, understanding, at what she was being told.

"Mr. Hawkins," Connor said, "You should return to the upper decks. I believe that we can handle this situation."

"Yes, sir." Jim turned reluctantly away, but not before noticing the girl's gaze following him as he went.

The ship was warm that day, and conversation buzzed all around. Jim had never before been so acutely aware of how much gossip circulated around until he had become the subject. It wasn't something that he particularly enjoyed. He spent the remainder of his day helping in the rigging. The men were less likely to chatter up there, as focus was needed to remain balanced upon the beams. It was peaceful up there, and the time spent above gave him the room to think on this girl. Part of him was fascinated by her, but there was another part of him that was frustrated. Just yesterday he had been so consumed with the thought of going home, why had he all of a sudden switched that energy to worrying over a drifter. Over someone whose name he didn't even know. It was ridiculous really. Completely ridiculous.

That night he was back on duty, watching the horizons and enjoying the quiet noises of the darkness. The eatherium would offer up no more surprises that night, and Jim enjoyed the return to his routine. He decided he would forget about the girl, push her out of his mind and focus again on the fact that in a few weeks, he would be back home.


	2. Chapter 2

She rolled over onto her side, marking the faint starlight that fell on the floor from a small porthole above her head. The floor around where she lay was cold, but had warmed a bit under where she rested. Truth be told it was the best floor she had slept on in a long time. Not that she was doing much sleeping. Her body was still tensed, more out of habit than anything, and the chains manacled to her wrists made it difficult to relax. Her skin tingled, still slightly pink from the vigorous scrubbing it had under gone earlier that day. But she had to admit that it felt good to be clean. The dirt had been reluctant to come off, but the doctor had taken rough cloth and a burning soap to her skin, working off the traces of filth that covered her. She'd been stripped clean of her dress, laid bare in the cell, still shaking while the doctor examined her, scrubbed the dirt from her skin, and gave her new clothes to wear.

She touched her hair, shorn to her shoulders now to get rid of the unmanageable mess of tangles that it had become. The doctor had patiently worked it through until he'd managed to get the knots out of what remained. It had been a long time since she'd been this clean. Longer than she was able to remember.

But that wasn't important now. She turned onto her back, staring up at the ceiling and letting her mind wander. While this wasn't the greatest of accommodations, it sure beat others that she had been used to. And for some reason she felt a small sense of safety. Even though she was being treated like a prisoner, she was a secure one.

The ship was sailing closer than normal to a star, sending the crew into a string of almost unbearably hot days. Jim had been working through noon on the main circuit board with the chief electrical engineer, attempting to bring the smaller boards back online after shorting out due to the heat. It had taken them hours, and it wasn't until well into the afternoon that they had success. This wasn't the first time that he had worked with the engineers. He'd been shadowing the chief in hopes that he would be assigned as an apprentice for his next term of service. The years he'd spent on his own solar surfer and other projects were serving him well as he was showing a pronounced aptitude for the work.

He was headed towards the washroom where he could clean up when he passed the hatch to the lower decks and a cacophony of noise met his ears. He looked below, only to find a group of fellow spacers down around the last cell at the end of the corridor. He felt the anger surge in him again, and he vaulted down the stairs towards the group of men.

"Hey, Hawkins!" one of the men said with a smile when he saw Jim approaching. "Come see the mystery girl!" Jim threw himself against the man and pushed him against the wall.

"Leave her alone," he said in an even voice. The man pushed back against Jim.

"Cool it, man. We were just having some fun."

"Go find your fun some where else. Leave her alone." Jim replied, easing his hold on man against the wall. They stared at each other for a minute, the tension in the air palpable. Finally the other man backed off, walking slowly backwards down the corridor. The rest of his mates followed, leaving Jim alone.

The girl in the cell was much the same as she had been the last time Jim had seen her. She was still backed into the corner, her knees drawn up against her chest, but she wasn't even looking at Jim. She was looking away, completely ignoring not only Jim but anyone else who might have been standing there.

"Hey," Jim said, "I'm sorry about that. They can be jerks sometimes."

"You didn't have to do that," she said, still not looking at him.

"Well, you know…" He sat down and leaned against the wall again. "You cut your hair. It looks nice." She looked at him then.

"Don't lie."

"I'm not lying." Keep her talking, Jim thought to himself.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"To Crescentia." Honesty was the best policy.

"Why." Being direct was also the best policy.

"You attacked me."

There was no automatic retort. She couldn't deny the truth in the statement, the bluntness with which he said it. She locked eyes with him.

"I had good reason." She said quietly.

"And what reason was that?"

"I can't tell you."

A dead end. If Jim hadn't known better he would have gotten very frustrated at this point. "Well seems like you can't tell us a lot of things." The two were at a stalemate again. But Jim decided to be persistent.

"So who cut your hair anyways?"

"The doctor. It was the only way he could get the tangles out."

"Ah…." The silence stretched out between them, turning into minutes. "Well I guess I'd better get going. They'll probably be needing me up top." He made to get up and go but she moved quickly over to the bars of the cell, wrapping her fingers around them and pleading with her eyes.

"Don't go," she said, desperation in her voice. "Please." Pressed against the bars Jim could see more fully the lines of her face and the crystalline color of her eyes. They were a vivid green, and they seemed to magnify the little bits of light that were able to penetrate them. While before he had seen only burning emotion in them, now he saw only their depth and her need for company.

"All right," he said, settling back onto the floor, watching her relax a bit when she knew that he was going to stay.


	3. Chapter 3

She was sitting on the bed, the dirty sheets curled between her fingers as she gripped them for support. Such flimsy support, but it was all she had. The room was dark,

the only lights being the ones that bounced off the walls from the tiny window above her. She tipped her head back and eyed the reflections of the lights bouncing off the ceiling. If it were better times she might be able to smile, but there was nothing to smile about.

The sound of boots began to resound once again along the hallway floor and her head snapped back to see the darkness in the crack along the bottom of the door come once again into flickering lantern light.

XXXXX

Captain Rowlands continued to swirl his glass of brandy while staring out the window. The stars stretched behind the ship as far as he knew and beyond what was on the maps that he read. It often brought him relief to know that there was more than he could ever know just beyond the horizons. But at this moment, standing at the window and seeing the stars again a seed of doubt crept into his mind while considering the information that the doctor had just told him. He didn't want to believe what he had been told, wasn't ready to accept this news. Anything but this.

He turned around to face the doctor who was sitting on the other side of the room, "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," the older man said, removing his glasses and cleaning them habitually with the hem of his shirt. "The markings, they are quite recognizable and I must admit they do alarm me."

XXXXX

Her door creaked open and a thick man stood in the doorway, the lantern light from behind him preventing her from seeing his face. She gripped the sheets tighter. Every fiber in her body was screaming at her to do something, to react, but she willed herself to remain on the bed, to remain where she was. She knew that if she were to react her fate would be much worse than what was in store for her now.

The man crossed the room and the door shut behind him. They were once again in full darkness. He placed his hand on her head, running his fingers through her hair and coming to rest under her chin. He tipped her head up and looked her over, holding her face while she tried to avoid his eyes.

XXXXX

"Well sir, I was thinking that it might be to her advantage if we were to show her some compassion," the doctor said, facing the back of the captain once again.

"How is that."

"There might be a possibility that she would open up to us. Tell us herself where she's come from. I know that her actions towards the young man are certainly startling, but considering what we know now, I can't hardly blame her. Perhaps it's time she learns that not all have the intent of causing her harm."

XXXXX

When she hit the floor she wasn't even sure what had happened, but the side of her head throbbed and she was gasping and reeling from the force of the impact. Struggling to gain her sense of the room she tried to raise herself up but he struck her again, sending her back to the floor. He kept her on the floor, taking any opportunity to land a blow on her body.

He tired of this, and stood straight up again, his hands by his sides. She lay in a heap, shaking all over, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Don't be afraid," she heard him whisper. As he spoke he lowered himself over her turning her face up and pinning her arms above her head.

XXXXX

"I'm willing," Rowlands said slowly, choosing his words very carefully. "to give this arrangement a try. But remember, any sign of trouble and it's back to the brig she goes. But for now she'll be in your charge."

"Thank you, sir."

XXXXX

She couldn't breathe, and as the air slowly left her lungs she opened her mouth to do something, scream, anything. But nothing happened. All she could taste and smell and feel was this man, this horrible man. He invaded her senses and was now stealing the very air from her lungs. She felt panic begin to rise in her, an instinct that she could not control. It creeped up her body and she tried to get away but the more she moved the worse his hold on her became. As the edges of her vision became blurred again with tears she felt herself succumbing to the darkness and her eyes closed.

When she opened them again she was not on the floor next to the bed. There was no man, and the light was streaming through the portholes along the ceiling. Her body was not aching, her lungs filled with air. She was alive. Her hands, though still chained were drawn across her body and she held herself, protecting herself in her sleep. She breathed slowly, deeply, reminding herself of where she was, that she was still safe, and that other room was far away.


	4. Chapter 4

Jim put his hands over his head, stretching them up into space, imagining he  
could be touching the stars. But they eluded him, just as they always did.  
He wasn't concerned though, the stars would always be out of reach. Just  
beyond his fingertips and shining ever so seductively. He smiled, knowing  
that at least one thing in his life would remain constant. It was his last  
night of duty, tomorrow he would be switched to a new rotation and back to a  
more normal schedule of sleep and work.

It had been a few days since he'd been to see the girl in the brig. He'd  
forced himself to stay away, not wanting to become more involved than he  
ought to be. He had to admit though, staying away had been harder than he   
had thought it was going to be. But he should be doing it, for his own good.  
At least that's what he had been telling himself for the last few days. And  
he would continue to repeat that mantra over and over until they docked and  
he could put distance between himself and this mystery girl.

Jim heard the door creak open, but from his lookout vantage point he didn't  
look down to see who it was. Probably just a spacer out for some fresh air,  
seeing as how the crew sleeping arrangements were known to become stuffy. It  
surprised him then when a flash of what was probably light fabric caught his  
attention out of the corner of his eye. He looked down only to see the hem  
of long garment dissapeared from view, headed towards the bow. Scaling down  
the mainmast quickly he made his way to the front of the ship, his stomach  
in knots, suppresing the suspision of who would be wearing such a long hem  
on this voyage. Instinctively he knew that it could only be one person, but  
he didn't want to say it. Let alone think it definitevly.

As he approached he recognized the outline of her, and his footsteps slowed  
to keep from startling her. She stood still at the very bow, leaning into  
the forward motion of the ship, her arms crossed in front of her and her   
hair blowing slightly in the night breeze. Jim thought she looked like one  
of those intricate mast heads he'd seen on merchant vessels in port, she was  
standing so quiet. He loathed breaking the silence.

"Hey," he said, hating the way the word shot out into the air, tainting the  
moment. The girl spun on her heels, bumping against the railing and fixing  
her eyes on Jim with that same fearful intensity he'd seen so many times.  
"It's ok," he said, putting his hands up and backing into the railing   
opposite of her, trying to put distance between the two of them. "I'm not  
going to hurt you." Her eyes seemed to relax a bit, once she realized who it  
was.

"My boat is gone," she said. Once again guilt flooded through Jim. He remembered watching the little long boat float away after he'd pushed it, and he'd felt guilty then as well.

"I'm sorry," he said. She turned away from him and looked back off into space.

"I need that boat," she said.

"Where do you want to go?" She didn't answer though, just kept staring off into the abyss. Suddenly it occurred to Jim, what was she even doing out on deck? Why he hadn't thought of this before he didn't know, but now that he had he forgot taking precautions.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, moving over to stand next to her and look at her face. Her eyes met his again, and they reflected the starlight around them.

"I need that boat," she said again, more force behind her voice this time.

"Well, look," Jim said, "I'm sorry that your boat is gone, but there's nothing I can do about it. And as far as I can tell there's not much you can do about it right now either."

"Are you always this reassuring?" she said looking at him with cold eyes.

"Only with good friends," Jim said. He relaxed against the railing again, putting his hands in his pockets. "What are you doing on deck?"

"What's it to you?"

"Because I'm on watch and it's my duty to know what's going on. For all I know you could be up to some unsavory activity."

"Don't concern yourself so much with my activities."

"If you'll forgive me it's a bit difficult to trust what you say, seeing as how I know nothing about you." If looks could kill, Jim knew he'd be six feet under at that very moment. But he found the antagonistic exchange between the two of them to be amusing, fun in a way. He smiled.

"What's so funny?" she said, venom in her voice.

"Well, it seems like the only time you're willing to talk to me is when you're mad."

"It's not my fault if you elicit that reaction from me," she said. Jim felt the sting more than he had expected to. "If you'll excuse me," she continued. "I'll remove the stress of my presence from your watch." She left Jim standing on the bow, a dead weight in his stomach and wishing he'd just mind his own business for once.

XXXX

She was sleeping in the infirmary now, after being removed from the brig by the doctor and installed as his extra help. Returning now to the tiny medical room, she felt her exasperation growing to the point of explosion. Her escape plan had completely backfired, although looking back now she wasn't entirely surprised at the outcome. It was rather hastily planned and she hadn't thought through all the elements. But that hadn't stopped her before. And there was the issue of this man who kept getting in her way.

"Who does he think he is?" she said aloud to her self, her frustration getting the best of her. She sat down on the bunk, balling her fists and putting them to her forehead, trying to press calm into her skull. Tears began to well in the corners of her eyes, she felt trapped. Her boat was gone, and how she was going to get off this wretched ship without being noticed was beyond her.

She turned and looked out the porthole on the wall, scanning each direction that she could see, looking for any sort of motion or sign of life in space. At the moment she didn't see anything, but that didn't keep her from tensing when she lay down to sleep that night.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hello, everyone. Just thought that I would give you an update as to why it took me so long to get another part of the story up. Being in the last year of my undergraduate degree is starting to take it's toll, and I've been finishing up the term in the last few weeks so I haven't had time to devote to this story. In the last few weeks I've written two papers on Charles Darwin, one paper on the marine dead zone in Oregon, and a paper about the long term effects of oil spills. Needless to say it's been a busy time for me! So, with many thanks and apologies for the delay, I hope that this next section is at least ok. Thanks again.

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She sat on the floor, her back pressed against the wall, her knees drawn up against her chest and her whole body trembling. She'd been awoken again from sleep by another nightmare, a pressing feeling on her chest and the sense of suffocation had brought her violently out of sleep. Her hands were trembling and she wrung them together in an attempt to quiet them. The dim light from the stars outside shifted through the tiny room, falling down across her face and over the floorboards. She felt herself getting antsy again, her heart beating faster and she needed to get out of the room. She stood and took the few steps to the cabinet to retrieve a sweater.

The air on deck was fresh and she greeted it deep in her lungs. The deck was mercifully empty, as she had expected it to be even the night watchman was no where in sight. It had been a few days since she her confrontation with him, though his blue eyes failed to leave her waking moments.

Below decks in his hammock, Jim was finding it hard to sleep as well. His thoughts were scattered and mixed: his mother, his future, what had led him to this point in his life, all vied for the same space in his mind. Quietly he slipped from his hammock and into his shoes which waited patiently beneath him. He left his uniform jacket, preferring the comfort of the clothes he slept in, old pants and a long sleeved shirt that had probably seen better days. He kept them because they reminded him of home, the smell of his mother cooking in the morning, the feeling of warmth from the inn's fires. He was looking forward once again to returning to them.

He reveled once again in the silence of the night, the feeling of peace flooding through him at the familiar space and time. He walked around the deck without thinking, letting his feet take him where they would, allowing himself to be lost in his thoughts, the night air easing away some of his tension.

She heard the footsteps on the deck, shuffling along slowly to their own cadence before coming to a stop somewhere behind her. She turned around, coming once again to face those eyes that had never left her. Somewhere in her she felt a stirring, a light feeling that she thought she had a memory of, but wasn't quite sure.

Jim looked up at the girl, cursing himself quietly for running into her again, although this time had been purely by accident. He muttered something about being sorry, more to himself than to her before turning to leave.

"Wait," she said. He stopped. "Ellie."

"What?" he said.

"Ellie," she said. "That's my name. You asked me my name once and that's it."

"Ok."

"I just thought you'd like to know." He took a step towards where she stood by the railing, watching her steady herself as he came to stand beside her.

"I'm Jim," he said, extending a hand hesitantly towards her.

"Jim," she repeated, taking his hand carefully, they shook briefly before she let go and drew her hand back into herself.

"Why are you up here, Ellie?"

"I can't sleep."

"Me either."

"I'm sorry," she said, more to herself than to him. He eased himself down to rest against the railing, taking care not to brush her elbow in the process. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, keeping close tabs on the way his shirt was stretched over his taut muscles, suppressing her urge to run from him.

"I keep thinking about my mother," he said quietly, staring into the abyss. "She runs our inn back home, all by herself. She's had help in the past but it never usually works out. I worry about her."

"I don't know my mother," she whispered.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"I don't know. But they told me I was named after her."

"Who told you?"

"My owners."

"What?" he said, feeling his muscles tightening. "What do you mean?"

"When I try to sleep, I see things," she said quietly. "I don't want to see them anymore." Her eyes implored him, begging him to do something to make it better.

"I don't understand," he said. She extended her left arm towards him, pulling up the sleeve of her sweater past her elbow, to reveal on the inside of her forearm halfway up a 'P' surrounded by a thick circle with a series of numbers below it. The mark was scarred into her arm, deep scars, shiny from age and having been burned deep into her flesh. Jim's stomach clench and a wave of nausea spread through him.

"I was small when they did this, when I was sold to them."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I remember a woman crying, I think it was my mother, she held me and cried. It might be a dream though, because really any memory I have is from them. They raised me until they could use me. When I was old enough they locked me in a room and sent men to me. Men who paid for me." She couldn't stop herself from saying it, from admitting everything to him. "I'm sorry," she said, tears sliding down her face, "I'm so sorry."

"No," Jim said, standing up straight. "You don't have anything to be sorry about." He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder, expecting her shy away but she leaned into his touch, needing to feel its warmth and comfort.


	6. Chapter 6

When Jim returned to his hammock later that night, his body was exhausted, but his mind was so keyed up that he couldn't sleep. A thousand images were racing across his mind's eye, a hundred new suppositions about who this girl, Ellie, was. He was still reeling from the reality of her sudden confession, the way her eyes had emptied of all emotion while describing her captivity, the way her body had bent towards his gentle hand on her shoulder. Every nuance from that encounter would stay with him.

xxxx

Ellie was shocked to find herself so calm. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. She no longer had to bear her burden alone, almost unwittingly she shared a bond with someone. Albeit someone who had shown her extreme kindness in the weeks since she'd first come to the ship, but still she was surprised. She propped herself up in bed to see out the window, scanning again, but found that her heart felt a little lighter, that the knots in her stomach had eased their hold just slightly on her soul.

Laying back she traced the lines of her scar, her brand, on her arm, shivering a bit at the painful memories and the horror in Jim's eyes when he had seen them. Not long ago he had traced those same lines, her heart slamming against her chest while his slim fingers touched her skin. She pulled the blankets up to her chin while rolling onto her side and wrapping herself in warmth, a large yawn stretching her body before she eased into sleep. She slept through till morning with no nightmares.

The next morning found Ellie on the stern of the ship enjoying the warmth of the day while laundering the assorted bandages and dressings from the infirmary. She was bent over a tub of sudsy water, the pile of dirty rags next to her slowly decreasing as the lines she had strung up filled with clean ones, flapping every once in awhile in the momentum of the ship. Humming softly to herself she didn't hear the approaching person but rather felt their footfalls instead. When she looked up, she shaded her eyes from the sun to look into the face of Jim.

"Good morning, Ellie," he said, his hands tucked into his pockets, his feet shuffling slightly.

"Hello, Jim," she said. She let her hands rest on the rim of the tub and straightened her back after having sat hunched over for so long.

"Do you mind if I sit with you?" he said.

"Not at all," she said. He eased himself down onto the deck across the tub from her, crossing his legs beneath himself, completely relaxed with her while she kept washing.

"How are you today?" he said.

"Oh, I am doing all right," she said.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Oh yes. Thank you for asking. Did you?"

"Not as well as I would have liked," he said with a smile. "Ellie, I've been wondering,"

"About what?"

"What will you do when we dock?" She stopped scrubbing, her hands falling idle while the question rocked her. She hadn't thought about it to be truthful, but it was certainly a valid question.

"I don't know," she answered.

"These people, who you're running from, do you think they're trying to find you?" he asked. She knew the answer to that question, it was so easy, but how to explain it was the problem.

"I know that they are."

"Without doubt?"

"Yes. You have to understand that I am property, Jim. I am their property, my being free poses a great risk to them. When I was younger, we had docked to take on some supplies, and a girl managed to get off the ship. She didn't get very far, and when they brought her back they brought her out on deck and beat her close to death, tied her to the main mast and left her there for hours." She met Jim's fixed eyes. "I don't want that to be me."

"I understand," he whispered. The pair stayed quiet for a bit, the creaks of the sails and Ellie's washing punctuating their thoughts.

"I should be getting back to my duties," Jim finally said.

"All right,"

"I'll see you around then,"

"Yes."

xxxx

"Sir," Jim said, addressing Mr. Connor the first mate as he stood watch over the helm.

"Hello, Mr. Hawkins, what can I do for you today?" Connor said.

"Sir, I was wondering if you know what is going to happen to Ellie when we dock."

"Ellie?" Connor asked, one eyebrow cocked in question. "Who is Ellie."

"The girl we found."

"She has a name now then."

"Yes, sir. It's just that I'm not sure that she has anywhere to go."

"Answer me this, Mr. Hawkins," Connor said, turning to face Jim full on. "I'm wondering what investment you have in this girl's future, as dubious as it may be."

Jim was taken aback by the question, not that it was inappropriate but that it was precisely correct. Was it really his business what happened to Ellie when the voyage was over? It would be easy to walk away from the ship, away from her, and to never think about it again. She would probably be fine, find her way in the world, find a safe place to hide. But the problem was that Jim couldn't just walk away. He knew himself better than that and he couldn't walk away from Ellie without knowing for himself that she was going to be all right.

"To be honest, sir," Jim said. "It just doesn't seem right to leave her on her own."

"You feel almost responsible for her then."

"Yes, sir, I guess that's it. I just want to make sure that she's ok."

"Well Mr. Hawkins, that is understandable. I will speak with the captain and let you know once a decision has been made."

"Thank you, sir." Jim didn't like the idea of having to wait, but it was the best that he could do at the moment.


	7. Chapter 7

"Are you nervous?" he asked.

"No," she said, barely able to contain the touch of hesitation in her voice.

"Just remember, aim ahead of it. You have to think about where it's going to be instead of where it is or where it's been." She glanced sideways at him, wondering if he meant more than he was saying. "Now when you're ready, just breathe out and say 'pull'," he said. He took a step back from her and she turned her sights back to her task.

She shifted her weight slightly and took a deep breath. At the end of her slow exhale she whispered, "Pull." Beside her the clay target shot out into space she tracked it with one eye closed. She squeezed the trigger and felt the weapon cradled against her kick-back into her shoulder. Almost instantly the target exploded into a cloud of dust, falling away into space propelled by the momentum of the shot.

A smile broke out over Ellie's face and she turned towards Jim who mirrored her excitement. He reached out and grabbed the barrel of the gun, pointing it back out towards space to keep it pointed in a safe direction. "I did it!" Ellie said, the excitement clear.

"Yes, you did," he said taking the gun from her and clicking it down to power off and sliding the safety on. They were shooting off the stern of the boat, taking time after some of the spacers had practiced to improve on the skills that Jim had been teaching Ellie. This was the first time that she had hit the target, and Jim felt a surge of pride at the sight. "You're getting better," he said, "Better every time. Now we just have to get your nerves under control."

"Easier said than done," she replied, leaning back against the railing. Jim smiled. He remembered learning to properly shoot at the academy and how it had taken him longer than he'd considered proper to become truly comfortable firing.

"So," Jim said, attempting to ease casually into the subject, "we'll be in Crescentia day after tomorrow and I was wondering if you've thought any more about what I said."

"A bit," Ellie said, fidgeting and looking anywhere but directly at Jim. A week earlier he'd invited her to stay with him and his mother, a way for her to get on her feet and learn some skills. He'd said the officers had given their approval preferring to send her somewhere safe rather than turning her out on the streets. She had to admit the offer was tempting but she still hesitated. She was learning to trust Jim, but it was taking longer than she would care to admit despite all his efforts to be her friend.

"Do you know what you want to do?" he asked.

"I don't know,"

"Why not?" his tone was abrupt.

"I can't explain it, but I don't know if I can be around people right now." Her admission startled her but it was the truth of what was driving her lately. She'd been keeping more to herself from shame. "Look," she continued, "I know it sound funny but I am no use for anything. I'm ruined and there's nothing anyone can do."

"You're not ruined," Jim said. "It'll take time but you'll be all right."

"No," she cut him off. "I can never be right." They faced each other in silence, her words hanging between them. Ellie felt some shame at ruining the happy mood between them, and Jim was struggling to form a response.

"I was just trying to help," he said, his voice defeated. He shame consumed her and edged its way into tears. She pushed them back and gazed at him, unable to verbally apologize but trying to force it in her eyes. Jim moved to stand next to her and leaned against the rail looking out into space.

"Look," he said, "I know that it's hard for you but sometimes you have to have a little help. Believe me, I know." He smiled for a moment while remembering his own uncomfortable forced personal growth spurt on an expedition years before. Deciding it would be best to move on, he shifted subjects.

"You know, when we arrive in port there's going to be a party, a welcome home reception if you will."

"Yeah?"

"It'll be here on the ship and I'm sure you'll be expected to come," he paused to look at her. "Just wanted you to know in advance."

"Yeah," she sighed. "Thank you for the heads up." The sarcasm was unmistakable and it made both of them smile.


	8. Chapter 8

They docked in Crescentia early in the morning, even before the mists that accumulate ate night had a chance to dissipate. Ellie was awakened by the movement of the dozens of spacers on board moving about the upper decks. Peering out her porthole she saw the port-city taking shape and she felt a stir of excitement in her stomach. She dressed quickly and wrapped a shawl around her shoulders to ward off the slight chill she felt beyond the door.

On deck people were milling around prepping tie-up lines and tidying various items. A few people were still aloft, draped over the beams and casually chatting amongst themselves. There was an air of excitement amongst the men and Ellie couldn't help but take that and compound it with her own. She found a spot on the rail and looked over to watch the ship make its final approach.

The longshoreman below came into sharper focus and they scurried about grabbing the lines that were being dropped and looping around large cleats affixed to the decks. As the ship moved slowly lower they took in the lines and tied them off. When the ship stopped the spacers dropped the largest tie-downs. As thick around as she was, Ellie watched as the massive ropes were secured to keep the ship from floating away. When the last was in place a collective shout came from those on deck. They were finally home.

Ellie watched them clasping hands and briefly embracing each other. She searched their faces and finally saw him on the opposite side of the ship. Jim looked completely at ease. A new calm had fallen over him and even from this distance it as more than evident. She walked towards him and saw his smile widen when he saw her. They stood together watching the city awakening below them.

"It always reminds me of ants," Jim said. "The way the city looks from up here."

"I guess so," Ellie said. She felt safe above them and she didn't mention that while was so excited to join the hustle below them. She was rather content staying apart from it.

"I'll be going out later and you should come."

"Why?"

"Well, I figured you might want some new clothes since you're embarking on a new adventure." She knew he was referring to her finally accepting his offer of lodging but she still found it amusing he was slipping into the guardian role so easily.

"And I suppose you know what's best for me then?" she teased, nudging him in the side with her elbow.

"I didn't say that. I just thought you might like it."

"Ah, I see."

"But of course you don't have to come along if you don't want to."

"I'll go," Ellie said quietly. "Might as well get it over with." The two continued to watch the people below for awhile before they departed.

Released from duty for the day the spacers poured off the ship as if the floodgates had been opened. Jim could barely contain his own excitement seeing as how it was the first time he'd been around the familiar in two years. Ellie was slightly amused by him, but was struggling to focus on something other than her overwhelming anxiety. She couldn't help but think that every time someone looked at her they could see through her to her past. She compulsively pulled her sleeve down to make sure her brand was covered.

In a dress shop the saleswoman helped her select two dresses that she felt most comfortable in. Jim put down the money for them but not before making her promise to pay him back. Though he meant it in jest, she swore to herself that someday she would be able to keep that promise. She didn't want to be completely dependent on anyone ever again.

By the time they got back to the ship Ellie was exhausted not only physically but very much emotionally. She craved sleep and found the prospect of the evenings celebration only increased her fatigue. The decks were cleared and long tables had been set up along one end. Lights were being strung up, creating a semi-roof above them.

As the sun was setting Ellie was sitting on her bed waiting for Jim. He had promised to escort her in the hopes it would ease her nerves but she doubted it would. Already she was convinced the whole evening would be a disaster. Even though she was wearing a new dress and had managed to make herself presentable she still felt completely inadequate and out of place. A light knock at her door brought her out of her daze and she knew it was to late to back out now.

Opening the door she was met with the pleasant sight of Jim in his dress uniform learning against the doorframe and his hands in his pockets. He stood up straighter when she met his eyes. She could see in their depths that he was slightly nervous as well. It made her feel slightly better.

"Hi," she said.

"Hello," he replied. "You ready?"

"I think so."

"There's one more thing you need." He was holding something in his hand and held it out to her. Resting in his palm was a hair comb with the outline of a bird filled in with dark green stones. She took it gingerly running the tips of her fingers over the bird.

"It's kind of a welcome back present," he said. "Even though you've never been here before. Welcome back to civilization I guess." He was blushing slightly.

"Thank you," she said, holding the comb close to her chest. "It's the most beautiful thing anyone has ever given me." She didn't say , but it was the nicest thing she owned.

"You're welcome." He watched her tuck the comb into a fold of hair just above and behind her ear, nestling it amongst the dark waves. "Now come on. We have to go or we'll be late."

***

Hours later with the party still going strong, Jim and Ellie to stood side by side on the rail and surveyed the scene before them. The lights strung over the deck cast a warm glow over everyone, softening lines and adding what looked like another layer to the stars. A group of musicians were camped in one corner or the deck and were providing a lively soundtrack keeping dancers in the middle rotating about. The long tables were now filled with large platters of food that didn't seem to empty and mugs of dark beer that warmed as it went down.

The combination of food and drink had calmed Ellie down, allowing her to really absorb the atmosphere. She liked taking in the details of the women who were in attendance, their fancy dresses and beautiful faces, and the officers who still looked so official in their brass covered uniforms.

Next to her Jim was very striking in his dress uniform, the starched whites were setting off his electric blue eyes in a very pleasing way. Ellie couldn't help but take not of the many side glances from the women scatted about the deck. Being beside him, having his attention, made her feel a surge of what she supposed was pride.

The music drifted over them, helped along by the food and brew. Ellie had never felt more relaxed. She leaned against Jim, resting her head on his shoulder and she felt his head turn towards her.

"Are you having fun?" he asked. She nodded in response and smiled as she did. "Do you want to dance?" he leaned in closer and whispered in her ear. She stood up straight again, meeting his eyes with her own.

"I don't know how," she said uncertainly.

"Come on," he said. "It's easy. All you have to do is follow my lead." He reached down and laced his fingers in hers and pulled her towards the other couples whirling before them. He took them out into the middle of the floor squarely amongst the others in a place where she couldn't run.

"Here, put this hand here and hang on to my other hand. Just relax and move with me," Jim instructed as he put her hand on his shoulder and smiled at her. "You'll be fine." With a firm push on her waist they glided through the sea of people. Ellie felt herself being carried along, guided gently by Jim's touch and she let the waves of notes wash over her.

They moved between people and let the moment engulf them, Ellie found her smile growing broader as they kept circling. It growing as they moved faster along with the tempo, finally breaking into real laughter as the song reached it's pinnacle and wound down to it's conclusion.

The slowed towards the outside of the crowd, coming to a stop while Ellie was still giggling from enjoyment. But as they were catching their breath, something caught her eye, something that sobered her completely and dropped a chill into her stomach. Out of the corner of her eye she had seen a familiar hollow face, shadowed by a crop of untidy black hair dropping into black eyes that burned towards her. When she looked again the face was gone. She moved past Jim and went to the place she'd seen it, but it was truly gone.

"What is it?" Jim said, appearing next to her, his voice full of concern.

"I thought I saw someone," she said. "Someone I knew."

"Are you sure?"

She thought she'd been sure, but now, the face seemed more like a phantom. The rational part of her reasoned that there was no way she could have been tracked this far, that she was safe, and that what she had seen was just a figment of her imagination. The low light playing tricks on her.

"No, I think I was just seeing things."


	9. Chapter 9

It was late in the afternoon the following day when Ellie and Jim were preparing to leave the ship for good. She had packed her few items into a small bag and she had cleaned her small room as best she could. When Jim came to collect her, she stood in the doorway taking a lingering look around before they departed. It wasn't that anything particularly special had happened there, it was more that it was the first place she could ever remember really feeling safe and she wanted to give it a moment of respect in their goodbyes. She would miss it.

Jim headed them towards the ferry docks, weaving their way through the crowds. They parted easily as Jim strode by and Ellie followed closely in his wake. She focused on staying with him rather than allowing herself to think about the crowds around her. It helped to alleviate some of the anxiety she was feeling. At the docks Jim paid their passage on a shuttle headed towards his home and they boarded along with a motley group of spacers.

They slid onto a bench seat and Ellie moved all the way down to sit by the window so she could see below them as they left the spaceport. She looked out, wanting to trust, wanting to be excited, wanting to behave correctly. It was a lot for someone to think about.

"Are you okay?" Jim asked, leaning closer to her and glancing out the window.

"Yeah, just looking," Ellie replied. "Your mother will be there to meet us?"

"Unless she's in a coma," he said with a smile, "in which case she'd be there anyways." Ellie was intrigued by the idea of Jim's mother. Having only shadow memories of her own, impressions of feelings deep within her rather than concrete images, Ellie was looking forward to seeing how the feelings compared.

Beside her Jim was shifting in his seat, his leg twitching and tapping his fingers on whatever surface they were resting on. "You're nervous," she said. He looked sideways at her and smiled.

"I haven't been home in two years," he said, meeting her eyes. "Of course I'm nervous." They smiled at each other, understanding each other in that moment better than they had in the preceding weeks.

* * *

Even if she had been able to have any expectations, it was better than Ellie could have imagined. Jim's mother, Sarah, was warm and friendly, treating the strange girl as if they had been friends for years instead of minutes. Upon their arrival Jim had pulled his mother aside and after some deliberations Ellie was welcomed into the life of the Inn.

Sarah had closed for the evening, preferring to spend Jim's first night at home having dinner with only close family friends. The Doppler's were there with Amelia paying particular attention to Jim's recounts of his first assignment after the Academy, meanwhile the Doctor was overrun by the children as they played on the floor. An excitable robot added bits of relief, alternately overstepping his boundaries and apologizing but always with the best of intentions.

Ellie was hesitant at first, unsure of herself, but the easy smiles and abundant laughter of the gathered folk were balm enough to relax her. She was fascinated by how they all regarded one another with a familiarity she reckoned has been cultivated over years. This was a family she assumed that was knit together not by blood but by experience.

They stayed until the coals of the fires burned low and the candles had dripped down to nubs in their holders. They all stumbled to their beds as the Dopplers departed for home, the children having fallen asleep long before. Ellie collapsed into bed, full from dinner and feeling what she assumed was contentment she closed her eyes and was instantly asleep. She had been dreaming, a vision of sailing with the wind in her hair, when a sharp bang on her door brought her abruptly out her sleep. Still under the sway of deep sleep she went to the door and opened it without a second thought.

The sight that met her shocked her awake and caused her heart to stop. A man stood before her, his face coming into clear detail, an image from her nightmares. His name was Ian. It was the ghost from the party, the spectre from the dance floor had come to claim her and take her back to the brothel ship.

"Hello, Ellie," he said and gave her a sickening grin. She reflexively moved to slam the door but he caught it and forced it back open and pushed himself into her room. She backed away into a corner as fast she could, Ian striding towards her.

"Now that's no way to greet me," he said, cornering her as he spoke. He put an arm on either side of her, blocking any avenue of escape. "You didn't think you could get away from us, did you? Now, I hope you enjoyed your little adventure because I'm really tired of chasing you and this is the last of the outside that you're going to be seeing for a long time." He pushed himself against her in his pause, putting his hands on her. "Besides," he sneered in her ear, "we all missed you."

"No," Ellie whispered, shutting her eyes tight and fighting the sick feeling in her stomach, his smell causing her body to react so violently that she could barely control herself from retching.

"What?" he said.

"I'm not going," she managed to say, mustering all her courage to look him in the eyes. He pulled back and smacked her hard across the face sending her spinning to the floor.

"Who do you think you are?" he sneered down towards her, towering over her trembling form. "We made you who you are. You're nothing more than what life we've given you. Get that though your thick head." Ellie caught sight of his heavy boots poised to strike at any moment. She knew from experience that's exactly what they were liable to do.

He reached down and picked up and pushed her out the door. He shoved her all the way down the hallway and nearly knocked her down the staircase. He grabbed her arm and pulled her along towards the door, she scratched at him all the way and it wasn't until they were outside that the fear loosened its grip on her voice and she yelled once for help.

He turned around immediately and knocked her down again, this time taking a shot to her stomach with his foot that knocked the speech from her and reduced her to a pile. He kicked her again and she almost threw up, tears coming freely as he loomed over her, no doubt preparing for another shot. She looked up at the dark man framed over head by the stars, noticing a holstered object on Ian's hip that his hand was slowly drifting towards.

"STOP," came the shout, and Ellie and Ian both looked back towards the front door of the Inn. Jim stood in the moonlight, barefoot and shirtless in his rush from bed, his fists balled in fury and his face filled with a focused anger.

"What is this?" Ian said to Ellie, his voice laced with venom. "Is this your new pimp?"

"Let her go," Jim said evenly, moving towards them. He kept his eyes fixed, not daring to blink.

"I don't think so," the man said.

"Do it. Or I'll make you."

"Do you have any idea what you're doing? Do you have any idea who she is?" Ian suddenly laughed. "My, well it seems she hasn't told you anything about herself. This girl sells herself, my boy. She's a waste, good for nothing."

"No," Jim interrupted. "That was you. You made her. Now let her go."

"I just can't do that." The two men lunged for one another and Ellie leapt to her feet in a moment of instinct and grabbed for the gun, feeling her fingers closing around it she moved to pull back the hammer as she took aim at Ian. Jim saw her motion and dove to the side and she fired, hitting Ian in the back and sending him splayed out over the ground.

It felt like it was minutes, but really only a flash of time and Ellie was standing over Ian's body cooling in the predawn air. The gun hummed in her hand, and she hardly noticed when Jim took it from her. "No more," she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

When she looked up from Ian her eyes fell upon the mountain ridges in the distance as the sun began to creep its light onto the landscape. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly savoring the feeling of the morning sinking into her body. The shadows around her were disappearing in the sunrise, the light coming into every corner.

Breathe in, breathe out.


	10. Epilogue

A woman was standing on a small crate in her living room ready to shelve the book she'd been engrossed in moments before. She stretched overhead to reach the top shelf, sliding the book back into its rightful place with the tip of her finger. Streaks of sunlight were pouring in from the eastern windows and creeping pleasantly along the floor. It warmed the floor boards and worked its way up the walls that where completely lined with shelves filled with books. A neatly made bed at one end of the room was opposite the window where a table was flush, and on top of the table sat a vase of flowers that was always filled.

The woman jumped lightly from her perch and busied herself about the room collecting her breakfast dishes and retiring them to the sink in the kitchen to be dealt with later. She was late as it was.

Her tiny apartment was settled above a bakery in the center of town and already humming below her with the activity of the morning orders. Usually she would be among them, turning out loaves of bread and dispensing pastries but today she had business to attend to. A leaving was always a big event, but her heart leapt a little each time she had to say goodbye.

In the cramped bathroom she pondered her reflection for a moment in the mirror taking stock of the little wrinkles in the corners of her eyes. Laugh lines, she'd been told. Just the thought made her smile. She pulled her long dark hair back at the base of her neck and secured it in a bun before tying a faded green bonnet over it. She grabbed a shawl to wrap around her shoulders and cover her simple clothes. It had been many years since she'd settled into the routine of wearing a man's shirt over a skirt with sandals that laced around her ankles and kept her feet cool in the hot bakery. Easily cleaned and kept up with darning it was much easier than being laced into fancy dresses.

The streets were bustling despite the relatively early hour and she hurried amidst the merchants and buyers towards the harbor front where her skiff waited in its slip. She threw up the little solar sail and warmed the engine as it drank in the rays. Once on her way she closed her eyes briefly, enjoying the wind in her face while she clung to the shawl with one hand and steered with the other.

She knew instantly the building when it came into view, stationed as it was on the edge of the precipice to preside over the docks below waiting for incoming guests. The inn watched the sun rise on one side and set on the other, never faltering in its gaze as the days passed. She loved it as much for the architecture and her true first home as for the people who resided there.

When she had pulled into an empty slip and tied up her skiff she turned to see a figure standing at the top of the walkway waiting for her. A tall man silhouetted by the light. He raised his hand in welcome and she did the same. As she walked to meet him Ellie smiled to herself, 'Welcome home,' she whispered under her breath.

They met on the boardwalk as old friends, embracing each other exchanging generous pats on the back. Jim had lost none of his swagger in the years since they'd met though his clean shaven youth had been replaced lately by the bearded indication of his rank. As an instituted Captain he was leaving that day for another mission, the frequency of which had increased as of late, a reflection of the changing times they lived in. She'd come today to see off her friend and to provide support to the woman they both now called 'mom'.

"So," she said, tracing the line of hair down his jaw. "When did you acquire this?"

"You know the rules," he replied with a smile, "Captains are bearded. That's how they know who to shoot at when we meet the enemy."

"Don't joke like that," she said, "you know we worry when you have to leave like this. How long will you be gone this time?"

"I don't know. They expect it to be a quick trip but you never know with these things. It could be a few weeks or a few months. It's becoming increasingly unstable on the edges of civilization. We'll see what surprises await us."

Ellie nodded in understanding at his words, knowing he couldn't speak freely of his mission. They walked slowly towards the building where the rest of the family was waiting.

"And what of Ann?" she inquired, knowing the subject of his wife who was heavy with their first child was a favorite subject of his. "How is she holding up?"

"As best as can be expected," he said. "She's nearing the end of her pregnancy and is worried that something will happen with the baby while I am away. It breaks my heart to see her so and my mother is trying her best to keep her spirits up but it's difficult."

"Well I am sure everything will be fine," Ellie said trying to clear away the shadow that had fallen over her friends face. "You know we'll all be here for her when her time comes ."

"And for that I am grateful."

They had arrived at the door of the inn knowing that behind it waited those they loved. Before he could open it Ellie stopped Jim for a moment and looked him deep in the eyes, "You come back to us," she said, turning their light mood serious. "You know we'd fall apart without you."

"I promise," he said, pulling her into an embrace and promising her with every fiber of his being. For a moment they stayed like that, both providing some comfort to the other for what lay ahead though neither of them knew how it would end. They just kept moving forward knowing they'd always be there for each other.


End file.
